Ask any Austinite about the downfalls of living in the city, and the traffic is bound to come up. The Texas capital is infamous for its traffic congestion, worsened by the inability of infrastructure to keep pace with population growth. A 2025 ConsumerAffairs report shows no signs of relief, but rather that Austin traffic is only getting worse.
While none of this is particularly surprising, a new study might have you rubbernecking: Austin ranked among the 10 best cities to drive in.
While these statistics represent the national average, a city’s road quality and infrastructure can heavily influence the driving experience. WalletHub has analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities across 30 key measures, from gas prices to traffic congestion and beyond, to determine the best and worst places to drive in.
“Car prices have gone up significantly over the past few years, and gas [remained] expensive going into the summer travel season,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says. “Living in one of the best cities to drive in can make owning and maintaining a car much cheaper. However, costs aren’t the only factors that matter; the best cities for drivers also minimize commute times and traffic congestion, have accident rates well below the national average and keep their roads in good condition.”
Which factors (supposedly) make Austin a relatively good city to drive in? And how do other cities compare? Here’s what the study found.
Austin is No. 9 best city to drive in: WalletHub
The Texas capital was among the five cities in the state to rank in the top 10 on WalletHub’s list. It ranked No. 15 for cost of ownership and maintenance; No. 19 for traffic and infrastructure; No. 22 for access to vehicles and maintenance; and No. 37 for safety. Among Texas cities, Austin scored higher than Arlington (No. 18) and just lower than Plano (No. 8).
WalletHub named Corpus Christi the best city to drive in among the 100 included in the study, largely due to three categories: costs, road quality and safety.
The South Texas city is the third-cheapest for gas and ties for seventh-cheapest for buying a new car. It’s also the 11th-least expensive for additional vehicle operating costs like lost time and fuel waste due to traffic congestion, or damage from poorly-maintained roads. And when it comes to road maintenance, Corpus Christi ranks No. 25 for road quality and the overall best-maintained bridges in the country. Drivers enjoy the fourth-shortest average commute times and the second-fewest hours spent in congested traffic. At nearly 99%, Corpus Christi has the highest share of adults who always or almost always wear seatbelts. Finally, it has the seventh-lowest accident likelihood — which is over 8% lower than the national average.
Several other cities in the Lone Star State offer positive driving experiences, as reported by WalletHub: